If we ever meet again
by AuroreMoriarty
Summary: A few months after the Battle of Hogwarts, while Ginny and Hermione went back to the school, Harry decided to stay in London. There, in the Leaky Cauldron where he stayed, he met Draco Malfoy. What would be his reaction towards the convert Death Eater? Would the two boys finally admit their feelings?
1. Reunion

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?" Ginny asked abruptly. She looked into his eyes, trying to find an answer, a doubt, something. Harry nodded. It seemed that the word couldn't go through his lips. He didn't even dare to look at her. His eyes were gazing at his hands and her hands, twisted on the wooden table. "No Hogwarts then. Are you sure you're not going to miss it?"

What could he answer her? What could he tell her? Would she understand? Understand that he couldn't go there without seeing what happened? That every night he saw the faces of the ones who died for him. That he still could hear them. That it seemed that a part of him died that night in the woods. Of course it was the horcrux, and he had to destroy it but, nevertheless, it was a part of him. It was as if he had got rid of his scar and that he couldn't see himself in the mirror. It did not seem right. It was the right decision, but it left him empty inside. He needed time to recover. He would get over it.

It seemed to Harry that Ginny and he were in their own world, calm, yet so solemn, whilst the world around them kept on turning. Mrs Weasley was rushing everyone, like every first of September. Once or twice, she emphatically looked at the young couple, trying to tell Ginny to hurry if she did not want to miss the train. Finally, they stood up and left the burrow with Hermione, who went back to Hogwarts to finish her seventh year, Ron, Mrs Weasley and Luna, who lived nearby and decided to join them for the journey. In a mixed attitude – there were joy, excitement but also sadness, stress and resignation-, the group set off to King's Cross. Harry tried his best to seem joyful but he was not sure he convinced anyone.

When they all arrived at the Platform 9 ¾, Harry and Ginny waited for Hermione and Ron to cross the gate before crossing it together, holding hands. On the platform, Harry saw many faces he knew, some new and some he was sure he had seen before. The many faces of the platform expressed a kind of relief, confident, yet their eyes showed all the atrocities they had witnessed. Ginny hugged her mother and her brother goodbye then climbed the first step of the train and stayed there, talking with Harry until the train started to move. They promised to write to each other, to meet every time they had the occasion – for Christmas and every free weekend at Hogsmeade. Then the whistle blow rang out, striking their separation. Ginny kissed him before climbing the last step and went in front of the first window, next to Hermione. The girls waved and blew away kisses to the boys on the platform as the train went further and further away from them. The boys stayed on there, far after the Hogwarts Express became a little spot in the distance and disappeared. They were the only ones left when they finally decided to leave. Ron went back to the Burrow while Harry decided to stay a little longer in London. He knew he had to find a house, a home. He could not stay at the Burrow forever.

He wandered in the streets until he found himself in Grimmauld Place. That was not the perfect place but it could be his, at least until he would find a job and another house. He spent the day trying to tidy the house. He found in the upper floors some of Sirius' belongings he put in box while fighting back his tears. Cleaning the house recalled him the summer after Voldemort came back. He remembered his anger, anxiety and fear. It now seemed so far. As the daylight was fading away behind the big curtains, Harry felt more and more haunted by the house, the ghosts of the Christmas he spent there with his godfather, Lupin, Tonks, Moody… He always felt like Fred would apparate beside him to sneak some information about the Order.

As he could not stand it any longer, he stepped outside the door. He was standing at the door when he realized that he had nowhere to go. He could anyway rent a room in the Leaky Cauldron. He walked to the inn, looking at the ground, his head on his collar, and hiding his scar. After that emotionally exhausting day, the last thing he needed was to be recognized. He wanted to be alone.

The pub was crowded, full of parents whose children went to Hogwarts in the morning and took the opportunity to stay a bit longer in the capital city. Harry made his way to the branch, hoping that no one would see him. He arrived in front of Tom and asked him for a permanent room. A moment, he thought of giving Tom a false name, but Tom had known him for a long time and would not be fooled. However, he gave him extra Galleons to keep it secret. He climbed the stairs to the first floor, turned left and opened the second door. The room was exactly as it was five years ago, when he came in the inn after he made his aunt Marge blow up like a balloon. It smelled like moist and dirt but Harry did not mind. He was so tired that he lied down on the bed, without taking his clothes off. He stared at the ceiling, and turned around in the bed for, what it seemed, hours when he finally gave up. He took his glasses and shoes and stepped outside his room.

On the lower floor, the crowd had left the pub and only a few tables were then occupied. Harry sat down at the table in the corner, across the room, and ordered a firewhiskey. He dipped his lips in the golden liquid and gave a look around the candle lit room. Only a few people were still awake and drinking in the pub, and those were not the kind of person you would like to walk by in a dark alley. Not really dangerous people though. Just strange. An old lady was talking to herself on one the table not very far from Harry. There, a drunken man was half-asleep in front of his drink. Hopefully, no one seemed to notice him.

Someone walked into the room and walked to the branch.

"A glass of white wine."

Harry's heart jumped out of his chest as he recognized Draco Malfoy's drawling voice. The last turned around with his glass in his right hand to look for a table. In only a couple of months, he had changed a lot and he was nearly unrecognizable. The smirk that used to brighten his features had left, his eyes glanced with a mixture of fear and shame. Mostly, he looked sadder and lonelier than he ever did. For one second, Harry pitied him. Then, their eyes met and a rush of anger overwhelmed him. He could not forgive him for what he did to him. He might not be a bad guy, but neither was he a good one. He was just a little bully.

Draco hold his gaze. He had become paler than usually yet he did not blink nor turn away. He seemed to hesitate while looking at him. He drank a mouthful, then slowly stood up and walked towards Harry's table. Without asking, Draco pulled the chair and sat down his front of Harry. Harry could have sworn that he saw him frown and smirk, like he used to do what seemed to be a long time ago. Draco sat next to the table so that he could cross his long legs, dipped his lips into his glass while giving him a side glance.

"Potter."

"Malfoy"

Harry was to focus on Malfoy to care about the people around them to hear their names. He did not see all the faces turning to their table, eager to hear what The Boy Who Lived had to say to a well-known Death Eater.

"Why are you here? Don't you go to Hogwarts this year?"

"I could ask you the same."

"Fair enough."

He stared at him for a few seconds before disdainfully averting his eyes. He almost looked like the Draco Malfoy he was before if it was not the fear in his eyes. Harry could see that his hands were slightly shaking.

"What do you want Malfoy?"

But he did not answer. He pretended he did not hear and kept on staring into space, while drinking his wine. Harry waited a moment for him to answer, to say anything actually. As Draco stayed quiet, Harry drank down in one his whiskey, pushed his chair and stood up. He was leaving when the other boy finally decided to keep the conversation going.

"Have you ever thought of how things could be different?"

"How?"

"If I were sorted in Ravenclaw as the Sorting Hat first thought of."

"No sense! It didn't even touch your hair that it said Slytherin."

"Believe what you want Potter. I know that it hesitated before sorting me. If I were a Ravenclaw, we could have grown friends."

"Yeah, I've always dreamed to be friend with bullies."

"You don't understand."

"Then explain. I have plenty of time."

And he sat down. Every little part of him showed provocation, from his posture to his piercing eyes, including his sarcastic voice. Malfoy looked at him and the corners of his mouth lowered even more while his eyes wetted. Harry could not believe his eyes. Was Malfoy serious?

Draco got ready to stand up but Harry put a hand on his arm.

"Tom, two butterbeers, please."


	2. Wake up

Butterbeer might not be the most alcoholic beverage but once mixed with stronger drinks, it still could cause damages. Unfortunately for Harry, he made the poor decision to drink butterbeer after butterbeer, with whiskey in between.

He sat down in his bed, the blanket around his waist. He leant to his left to take his glasses on the nightstand. As he moved, he got dizzy. It was the first time he had drunk that much. His head was aching and his vision was blurry. Flashes of the night before came back to his mind as he looked around the room.

He talked with Draco till late. They kept on drinking. He got back into his room. He was not alone. He remembered being kissed. Fingers on his torso, unbuttoning his shirt. A sudden rush of guilt made him feel sick. He had cheated on Ginny. How could he have done that? And who was that girl? He had no memory of meeting another person. With his heart beating like a drum in his chest, he turned around to the other side of the bed.

Still sleeping was lying Draco Malfoy, shirtless (and probably naked but Harry did not want to check) and with messy hair. Harry's jaw fell from the shock. He spent the night with Malfoy? It were his hands he felt touching his body? He could not even dare to think of what happened after that. For some reason, his brain decided to forget it and he was thankful for that.

Shameful and nauseous, he quietly put on his clothes then tiptoed to the exit. When he closed the door, Draco was still peacefully asleep, with a light smile on his lips. He left the inn as fast as he could and headed to Grimmauld Place, checking behind his back every few steps. But who was he afraid of? Of Draco? Or of a witness? He could not tell. He only wanted to forget that story, to pretend to none of these ever happened.

He opened the door of his late godfather's house and fell on the closest chair. He wanted to sleep, to rest but when he closed his eyes, he saw Malfoy. He repressed a nausea as he tried to remember the previous night's events. How could he have slept with him? After all that happened between them. He was from a family of Death Eaters. _He_ was a Death Eater! Yet he did not fight during the Battle of Hogwarts. "He's just a coward" said the little voice in his head. Maybe but he was brave when, at his Manor, he claimed that the prisoner was not Harry though he had recognized. Besides, it was not fair to judge him through his family: he was not his father, as Harry was not James.

He could not help to feel sorry for Malfoy. All he ever wanted was being loved. Harry was like him, when he was a child and did not know that he was a wizard. He understood him. Maybe that night was a mistake but he did not want to leave him alone. All the mistakes he made was because of love, and its lacks of. He wanted to help him, to hold out his hand, to remind him that he was there for him. After all, it seemed that he enjoyed himself the previous night, even before they got into his room.

He needed to talk to him. He had made mistakes but he could rectify it. He jumped out of his seat, run to the door and tried to find a muggle cab. No one to be seen. "You're a 18 years old wizard, you can Apparate!" reminded vividly the little voice. He looked around him, looking for possible witnesses. It was an early afternoon, on a weekday, on a deserted place, so he Apparated to a little dark street near the Leaky Cauldron.

He rushed into the inn, climbed the stairs and took the key of the room – hopefully he did not check out in the morning. He opened the door to an empty room. He called out. Maybe Draco was the kind to sleep in and maybe he was in the bathroom. Harry placed his ears against the door but he heard nothing. The room was silent.

For a few seconds, he was tempted to think that all those events were just the result of his imagination and alcohol and loneliness. He sat down on the bed, his head in his hands. He should be relieved. He should have been happy. So why was he crying? Why did he feel so empty?


	3. Is it fate?

"Mr Potter, the question might sound stupid to you but it's mandatory, why do you want to be an Auror?"

Harry was in the Ministry of Magic, at level two, sitting behind a desk, in a little and bright room. In front of him, across the desk, a strict looking woman was looking at me, waiting for him to answer. She somehow reminded him of the professor McGonagall.

It had been days since Harry and Draco's affair, days Harry spent in Grimmauld Place before deciding that he had had enough. It was the first time he left the house since he had returned from the empty room.

"I've passed all my life fighting Voldemort so…" The woman behind the desk wrote something on the piece of paper in front of her. Harry did not know what to do. He had always been terrible at interviews and exams. As the interviewer remained quiet, Harry felt the urge to speak, though he did not know what he might add.

"But, unfortunately, I did not finish my studies and I only got a few O.L.W. And er"

The interviewer looked up from her piece of paper, adjusted her glasses and looked into Harry's eyes.

"And of course, those are very important. I should say mandatory. It doesn't matter if you faced Voldemort more times than anyone ever did since a very young age and you defeated him. You absolutely need a piece of paper."

Harry blushed, feeling stupid, and looked at his feet. "I decide who could be a good Auror and the diplomas are not that important to me. An interview is much more revealing of one's abilities. Of course, you'd have to be training if you are engaged. I'd send you an owl to let you know. Goodbye, Mr Potter". She rose up and shook Harry's hand before leading him to the door.

As Harry walked out the door, he passed the other candidate. A young, tall blonde guy with blue eyes and pale skin. Harry's heart jumped out his chest as he turned his head to see Draco Malfoy walked into the office. Once again, their paths crossed each other and Harry liked to believe that it was a sign.

He sat on the closest chair, in front of the office's door, unwound some extendable ears to listen. He pressed the ear close.

"Mr Malfoy, I'm very surprised to see her, to say the least. I thought you'd never come here again, especially after the trick your father used to do here. Anyway, I'm curious and willing to give you a chance. Why do you want to be an Auror?"

"I know most people wouldn't understand. I was one of them, it's true. I didn't have the choice, really. All my family were Death Eaters or keen to his ideas. I know the names of the others, the ones you did not catch. I could give you them right away. I know how they feel, what they think. I know how to spot the weak one, to make him talk. I was one." Malfoy stopped a few seconds, then took a deep breath. "Listen, I know I've made horrible mistakes and I want to pay for them, to make finally some good…"

Harry heard footsteps on the hallway, maybe from another candidate. He winded the ears and hid them in his pockets. He then left his seat and, with it, his chance to meet Draco again.

He walked into the first pub he found. It was a muggle one, almost empty. Harry sat down at a table near the window and ordered a coffee. He waited, hoping to see Malfoy walking past the pub. _And then what?_ Harry did not know. He did not think that through, he just knew that he wanted to see him. He took the newspaper that was lying around and pretended to read it.

A few minutes later, maybe ten minutes Harry thought by the heat of his beverage, he saw the tall silhouette of Draco Malfoy walking down the street. He looked more worn out that the last time. He stopped a second in front of the pub, looked around and walked in. Harry slipped on his chair and hid behind the newspaper. In time like this, Harry truly missed his Invisible Cloak he left in Grimmauld Place. Not perfectly hidden, he was quickly discovered by Malfoy. Their eyes met, Draco blushed and turned away. That was unusual…unless they really spent the night together before Harry left him, without a word. Draco turned around and left. Harry put down the newspaper, grabbed some coins and dropped them on the table without checking before rushing behind Malfoy.

He was only a few steps before him as he did not think Harry would follow him. Actually, Harry did not know why he was following Draco nor what he would do then. Would he talk to him? Then why not calling him out now? Would he keep on following him until he found it out? He walked behind Malfoy's tall figure for a few minutes, a few steps away from him, until Draco turned and walked in a pub. Harry stopped in front of the window of the closest shop and pretended to look at it, while waiting for Draco to walk out. But was not that what he was hoping for? Now that he had stopped, should not he go and talk to him?

Harry's heart was racing, nearly jumping out of his chest, as he walked in the pub. Draco was sitting at a table not far from the door and kept on looking at it, as if he was waiting someone. Without waiting any longer, Harry sat down at the table, in front of Draco.

"Look, I'm not sure of what happened last time" Feeling embarrassed, he looked down at the table. He started to mumble.

"On the contrary, I believe that you clearly remember what happened." Draco's cheeks were reddish, his eyes sparkled and a smirk brightened his face. The waiter brought a glass of whiskey he put down in front of Harry. He raised an eyebrow to Malfoy. "I was waiting for you. I knew you were following me". He drank a mouthful of his own glass and leant on the back of his chair, gazing at Harry. He felt uneasy under his gaze, vulnerable. He wanted to escape these pale blue eyes. To gain confidence, he drank. He felt the heat of the golden liquid in his throat.

"About last time –"

"What? Do you want me to tell you every detail?"

"No, that's fine, I love having a whole night blackout."

"That's more like the Potter I know."

"You're exactly the Malfoy I loathed at school."

"Ouch, I'm crushed" Draco said while playing absent-mindedly with his glass, as if the subject was a dreadful bore.

"So, will you tell me or not?"

"No" Malfoy answered still looking at his empty glass as if he hoped that it would refill magically. Harry, exasperated, sighed and stood up. As he made his way to the exit, he heard Malfoy's voice "But I can show you". He turned around to see Malfoy's eye sparkling.


	4. If it's a dream, I don't want to wake up

Harry could not stop thinking about Malfoy. His eyes, his hair in which he wanted to let his hands wander, his smile, his lips he wanted to kiss all day long, his hands he wanted to feel on his body…

After their conversation in the muggle pub, the two boys rushed in the closest dark alley they could find and made out. They kissed with passion, as if all the sexual tension they kept in secret for years suddenly was free. Harry thought his head was about to explode when he felt Malfoy's hand wandering under his shirt.

Thought he wanted to be closer to Malfoy than ever, Harry knew that this was only obsession, sexual attraction but this was not love. He did not want Draco to be his boyfriend, he did not want to spend the rest of his life with him. They both only thought about the present. Draco did not want to think about his past while Harry could not consider a future. Nor could he dare to think of Ginny.

Days passed, and weeks passed, and Harry and Draco spent most of their time together.

"I've never learned to produce a Patronus. I don't know what it'd look like."

Draco was laying on a sofa, his head resting on Harry's lap, while the later was playing with his hair, like he once saw Pansy do.

"Probably a ferret"

Malfoy, visibly upset, tried to stand up but Harry stopped him.

"Don't be childish. I can teach you"

"Really?"

"Yes. Don't you remember I taught it to Dumbledore's Army? I was a great teacher. No, really, don't laugh." He gently pushed Draco. "And I was better than you in Defence Against the Dark Arts"

"I was better than you in anything else."

"Not in Quidditch. Well, shall we start?"

Draco vaguely shrugged. They both left the sofa and stood in the middle of the room.

"A Patronus is an animal like form of positive energy. It helps you –"

"Skip that part, I already know the theory, Potter."

"Don't you think we're close enough to call me by my first name?"

"Ugh"

"Okay, ray of sunshine. Find a good memory, something worth finding for. Then, focus on it and _Expecto Patronum_ ". A beautiful stag floated in front of them. Harry turned to Draco. "Your turn". Draco took a deep breath, closed his eyes tight to find the perfect memory and said, with confidence, _Expecto Patronum_. Anxious, Draco slowly opened his eyes, but no Patronus was to be seen.

The same irritation that used to show every time Harry did something better than he could appeared on his face.

"Don't worry. It happens to every guy once in while" Harry said with a smile while slipping behind Draco to guide him. "Focus on something strong, something you hold on when you feel down…Maybe on me?" he said with a smirk.

"In your dreams, Potter. Arg! That's hard!"

"Don't try to avoid the exercise by tricking me"

Draco gently pushed Harry's chest while rolling his eyes, then went back to practice. Once or twice, Harry stopped him to give him advices, to help him adjust the position of his wand, to guide him in the movement. After hours of practice, the best results was a tiny, shapeless, blueish cloud appearing at the end of his wand. Disappointed, Draco let himself fall on the sofa. Harry sat down next to him, trying to find the words to lift his spirits. Hopefully for him, the awkward silence was broken by their stomachs.

"Let's go get dinner" said Harry who had already stood up and was halfway to the door. Draco followed him in the dark hallway and to the quiet street. They walked side by side, the back of their hands brushing to the first restaurant they found. They were not used to go out, they usually stayed in a hotel room, as Draco did not want his father to hear about his relationship with Harry and as Harry did not want anyone to know. Harry had not returned to the Malfoy Manor – as he assumed that Draco and his parents still lived there – since the night Dobby died while rescuing them. At the same time, he did not want Draco to come at Grimmauld Place. Though he disliked that house, it was the heart of the Order, it was his Godfather's house and Malfoy did not fit in that picture.

A few tables in the restaurant were taken and the two boys decided to sit down away from the others clients. Another awkward silence settled between them when they looked down on the cart and when they waited for their dish. Malfoy, playing with his fork and carelessly stirring in his pasta, was the first to break the silence.

"How does it feel like?"

Harry looked up from his plate.

"To produce a Patronus, I mean."

"Well, it's, er -" Harry put down his fork. "It's a warm feeling. It's like you have a fire burning in your heart and you feel the heat irradiating everything around you. You feel like you're untouchable…It's like flying a broomstick, with the air playing in your hair. Or when you chase the Golden Snitch and you finally close your hand around it and you hear the crowd exulting." Harry could not help but to smile as he descripted the well-known effects of the protector.

"Though you probably don't know it feels like to catch the Golden Snitch" he said with a smirk. Draco gave him a dirty look. Very concerned about the appearances, he decided not to blow up at him and gave him the silent treatment instead. Unfortunately for him, though he desperately wanted to appear haughty, he could not bear to see the disappointment and the remorse on Harry's face.

"Maybe we could find a quiet place to have a quick game, just to prove you that I can kick your ass. I still have my old Nimbus 2001 somewhere."

And, in a more comfortable ambiance, they spent the rest of the evening talking about Quidditch, and, occasionally, teasing each other. They finished their meals, Draco insisted on paying the bill (they had the same old fight they had every time they went out), then they agreed to meet ten minutes later in front of "their" pub and left in opposite directions. Harry headed to Grimmauld Place. He walked into the house, climbed the stairs silently so he did not wake Mrs Black up, and entered into his bedroom. Next to his bed were his broomstick and the Quidditch kit he had bought during the summer. At the Burrow, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione used to play all day long two against two. Obviously, Hermione accepted to play only if Harry and Ginny were in opposite team as they were both excellent.

Harry was the first to arrive in front of the pub, as it was closer from Grimmauld Place. But he did not have to wait long before Draco walked out of the small street on the left – the one he always chose to apparate. They were walking for a few minutes when they found a little park – more a little square of grass than an actual park, to be exact. Harry put down his backpack filled with the Quidditch kit and the broomsticks – he had learned to use the spells Hermione used for her purse – then turned around to cast the protection spells he used to cast the previous year when he was hunting down horcruxes with Ron and Hermione.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making sure that the Muggles can't see us and can't hear us"

When the last spell had been casted, Harry went back to his bag, brought out his Firebolt, alongside with the Golden Snitch which, happy to be free again, started to fly all around them. The boys got on their broomsticks.

"Okay, on three. One…Two. Eh!"

Malfoy had already gave a kick on the ground and had taken off. Harry followed him but Draco was already dangerously close to the Snitch. Harry brought out his wand.

"Impedimenta!"

Draco started to fly slowly, as if he was trapped in quicksand. In a blink of an eye, Harry had overtaken him and caught the Snitch.

"That's unfair" yelled Draco, out of breath and finally free. "You can't use your wand!"

"You cheated first, I only used your own methods. Well, you want a return match?"

This time, Draco managed to catch the Snitch before Harry, without cheating. As both of them had caught the ball, they decided to play another return match. Then another. And another again. They played until their hands became numb.

Once they had tidied their broomsticks and the Snitch up and Harry had uncasted the spells, they shared one last drink in the pub. As the clock was striking eleven, Harry stood up.

"My round."

"Are you sure you have to go?" Draco asked. Though he did not like to sound nor look too attached, Draco was quite far from the distant person he wanted to look like. He had a straight face but his cheeks were red and their eyes were escaping Harry's. The later could not help but marvel at how cute he was.

"Yes. I'm really sorry. I have to go to the Ministry tomorrow." Disappointment showed up on Draco's face. "You know what? I can call in sick."

The two boys left the pub, together. Maybe it was because the euphoria of the moment, or the joy of playing Quidditch, or maybe just because he really liked him, he had liked him for many years, Harry reached for Draco's hand. He did not care if someone could see them – not even a wizard or a witch. He just wanted to show him that he was special to him. That there might be a beginning of something. Draco looked at him in surprise, smiled and squeezed his hand.

They walked into the night, wandering along the streets, laughing, not caring about anything else that the moment. Finally, they arrived on the road they always separated. Draco slowed down but Harry kept on walking at the same pace. He did not want this evening to end. He did not want to leave him.


	5. If truth be told - the end

When Harry woke up the next morning, Draco was already awake and had left the room. Harry quickly put on some clothes before trying to find him in the labyrinth of the house.

"Draco" Harry whispered. "Draaaco! Where are you?"

"I'm here!" shouted Draco from a room near Harry. "Why are you whisper -"

Mrs Black's shout echoed in all the house.

"VERMINS! TRAITOR! HOW DID YOU DARE TO TURN YOUR BACK TO THE DARK LORD? HOW COULD YOU TRY TO BEAT HIM?"

Draco ran in the direction of the shouts, his wand in his hand. He met Harry in the staircase, near Mrs Black's portrait.

"Shut up! Both your sons are dead because of him." Harry said while sharply shutting the curtains with a wave of his wand. "You might have thought that after all these years with Kreacher she'd have plenty of insults to use but she always chooses the same."

"Who the hell was that?"

"Sirius' mother. Well, actually it was her painting. We tried to take it down but it seemed to be glued to the wall by a charm."

Draco gave a sidelong look to the curtains, his eyes frowned, before going back to the room he had just left. Harry followed him into the room where the Black's family tree was paint on the wall. He felt uneasy being there with Draco, it felt like he was betraying Sirius. On the other hand, Draco seemed on the edge of crying, gazing at all the portraits. Harry was about to ask why he would be so moved by this family tree when he remembered that he was a part of this family. He was related to the Blacks and his portrait was paint on the wall too, just beside his parents'.

Feeling Harry's eyes upon him, Draco asked what had been driving him mad since he walked in.

"What are those marks?"

"Sirius used to say that he was so hot he burned the tapestry."

Draco had a little crooked smile that relieved Harry. He could not handle seeing him cry.

"Aren't you hungry? I'm starving. It's a shame Kreacher left, his pastries were amazing."

Seeing Draco's questioning glaze, Harry explained the house elf's story who chose over freedom to serve one of the last Black: Ted Lupin.

In the kitchen, steps away from the painted room, Harry searched something to eat in the cupboards.

"Well, it's misery. They're almost empty. Err, I could make some toasts."

"Fine"

Unfortunately for them, Harry was not a good cook. After burning all the slices of bread left, he put on his coat.

"There's a grocery shop down the street. I'll fetch some beans and eggs. D'you want anything else?"

Draco shook his head.

"Okay. I'll be right back."

He awkwardly leaned over and kissed Draco's cheek before turning away quickly, his face red, and climbing the stairs. A couple of seconds later, Draco heard the front door slamming. He sat still a few minutes, looking at his hands. As he could not resist his curiosity, he stood up and started to wander off. He climbed to the last floor and walked in the first room he saw, which turned out to be Harry's room. Looking behind his shoulder though he knew that he was alone in the house, he opened the cupboards. Hidden between layers and layers of clothes, there was a little box. Slowly, cautiously, Draco opened it to find letters and moving pictures of a redhead woman and a young man who looked like Harry – Lily and James Potter. Putting the pictures back to the box, he read the letters. Some of them were Lily's to Sirius, others birthday cards from Ron, Hermione and Hagrid.

Draco's heart jumped in his chest and seemed to be blocked in his throat when he saw the most recent letters: love letters between Harry and Ginny, written in the last months. He last one dated from only a week ago. Tears came to his eyes while a sudden rush of anger took over.

What could he do to do the most damages? Write to her to tell her the truth? Crush everything in the house? Tear the pictures apart? That was Harry's weak point.

He was holding one of the pictures by the opposite corners when he heard the front door. Harry was back. He took deep breathes to calm down before going back to the kitchen.

"Where were you?"

"Toilet. Is that a crime?"

"Whoa, why are you so defensive?"

"Nothing. Everything's fine."

And he sat down at the table. Harry tried to make small talks but Draco remained silent through all the breakfast. Could he be angry because he kissed him on the cheek before leaving? _No, that's a stupid reason to be angry_. But why? What had he done?

As soon as he finished his breakfast, Draco stood up and climbed the stairs, leaving Harry confused. He walked down the stairs a few minutes later and slammed the front door. Harry jumped out of his seat and run behind him.

"Draco! Draco, wait!"

"What?" he asked back, without even turning around to face the other boy.

"What's going on? Why did you leave? Have I done something wrong?"

"No. You're Saint Potter and you never do wrong." He looked at Harry, tears shinning in his eyes.

Harry reached for him right when he started to apparate. He felt the familiar feeling of being trapped in a pipe as he saw outlines and colour prints. Somehow, he managed to keep his hold on Draco's arm though the latest had not planned to take him with him. Slowly, the world around him stopped turning. Harry needed a few more seconds to identify where he was. He only just started to recognise the rows of yews and the big gate and Draco was already fighting Harry's hold.

Now fear had replaced sadness and anger on Draco's face. He kept looking behind him every now and then while.

"Let go of me"

"Not until you told me what was that act for?"

"You're really that stupid?"

"Tell me now"

"I found your letters to Ginny that what happened" shouted Draco's trembling voice.

Harry felt a rush of guilt hearing him telling her name.

"Okay, and?"

"What "and"? Wait…you're dating her?"

"Whoa. You're giving me the "crazy jealous boyfriend" act?"

"That's not an answer. Are you dating her: Yes or no?"

There it was. Harry knew that it would happen, that someday that little game would have to end. But that did not mean that he was happy about how the things were turning out.

"Yes."

"Does she know about us?"

Harry shook his head.

"That's what I am to you, your dirty little secret?"

"Don't take it like that…"

Draco gritted his teeth. "I'm going to tell her."

Though Draco seemed keen to reveal their relationship to Ginny, Harry noticed that he took care of leading Harry behind a yew, where no one could see them.

"Alright" Harry brought out of his pocket the Marauder's Map which never left him. "She's in her dormitory in the Gryffindor Tower. I'm afraid that your Vanishing Cabinet was destroyed when Crabbe set the Room of Requirement on fire. But if you do find a way to apparate into the castle, please let me know." He put the map back in his pocket. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd love to meet your parents."

Draco turned pale.

"Now, who's the nasty secret?" he said while raising his eyebrow and with a large smile – he knew that Draco could not resist him like that. "Can you talk about that now? Please."

Draco rolled his eyes and sighed of irritation. "Fine". Then he held out his hand for Harry.

"For someone who doesn't want his parents to know about his secret boyfriend, you've got guts."

"It's for apparate, dumbass. We can't talk here."

Harry held Draco's hand and they both started to swirl. Soon, Harry found himself in the small street near "their" pub. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, Draco was quite sentimental and romantic. However, as soon as their feet touched the ground, Draco dropped Harry's hand and headed to the pub without a look for him. Harry followed him in silent.

They sat down at the closest table and ordered two coffees.

"So, when did you both started dating?" Draco asked in a distant tone.

"I think you got it wrong. I already was dating her when we started to see each other."

"Oh. We "see" each other."

"I don't mean…Did you really thing that we were dating?"

Draco blushed and tears of anger shone in his eyes. "You're the one who called me "boyfriend", though. But does that word mean something to you? I'm not yours but you're not Ginny's. At least, you don't act like it."

Harry thumped the table. "Don't imply that I don't love her. You have no idea what she means to me."

"No I don't. Nor I know what I mean to you."

"It's…complicated."

"Really?" He rose his eyebrow. All his disdain could not hide the sadness that Harry saw on his face. Harry could not look at him in the eyes. He could see how much he meant to Draco and knew that the truth would break his heart. But he had to tell him.

"I like you. No, really. I mean it. I've enjoyed every second we spent together. But it wouldn't have happened if Ginny had left Hogwarts. I really love her. You were – I mean, I don't think there would ever be a future for us. We're too different. And… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I think it's better if we stop there." He put some bills on the table for the coffees and stood up. He could hear Draco's sobbing as he left the table and walked to the door.

"But…I love you" cried Draco behind him. His hand on the handle, Harry closed his eyes and stood still for a second. A tear fell down his cheek as he left the pub.

"So, what has been bothering you? Don't like at me like that, I know you too well."

Ginny had come back for the holidays and the couple was walking in Diagon Alley. Harry thought that breaking up with Draco was hard, but telling everything to Ginny was even harder. Actually, he would rather fight a bunch of Death Eaters than confront Ginny.

"I have to tell you something. While you were at school, I went to bar and I met-"

"Stop. I think I know what you're going to say. You're famous, attractive, you can't hold your drink and you felt lonely." She paused, giving him a side look to see if he confirmed. She sighed before going on. "As I am a wonderful girlfriend, I am willing to give you another chance."

Shocked, Harry stopped in the middle of the alley. "Ginny, I-"

"Yes, I know, you're sorry, you won't do this again, bla bla bla. I do hope for you that you won't do this again because I know plenty of jinxes and I'm pretty good at it."

"You're excellent"

"Flattery won't take you anywhere, Harry." She replied with a smirk and she gently pressed the tip of her forefinger on his nose. "Besides, Ron's moving in with you."

Walking down the alley on a beautiful day, holding hands with Ginny, Harry knew that he could not be happier. But that's when she turned towards him and gave a bright smile that he knew that he wanted her to be his wife.


End file.
